“Developing Experimental Design and Analysis Skills in Undergraduates”: IUPS Teaching Satellite Meeting, Brazil, August 2017

Abstract

This workshop was held at the Teaching Satellite Meeting of the International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS), August 5–8, 2017, in Buzios, Rio de Janiero, Brazil. The satellite meeting was attended by physiology educators from across the globe, of whom 34 attended this workshop. The aim of the workshop was to explore how experimental design is taught to students of physiology in different institutions, to consider the aspects that students find challenging, to share good practice, and to think about how experimental design teaching could be improved. Through small-group discussions that were then shared with the whole group, participants were challenged to develop the outline of a research project to investigate a broad topic and then to identify the challenges that students might face if they were given that task. Finally, the group thought about what, in practical terms, could be done to help develop experimental design skills in undergraduates. The outcomes of the discussions are summarized in this report.